Category: K

Honoured by Tony Limina, Peter Rooney and Jamie Martyn.

Thank you for purchasing a leaf  of inspiration and for supporting your Waterfront Park.  Story to follow.

Supercat – Honoured by Phillip Penna and Brennain Lloyd

Don Keating was born and raised on the prairies of Silver Creek Manitoba. He grew up with the values that come from living on a farm. He was not afraid of hard work. Don excelled in baseball, hockey and track in Russell during his school days. He was a loyal friend and a man who treasured his family connections.

Donald’s biggest passion in life was his belief in social justice and peace. He worked to bring this about in every facet of his life from serving with the RCAF in the 40’s, to ministering with the United Church in Sherridan, Oakville, Treherne and Winnipeg, Manitoba in the 50’s, to civil rights actions inspired by Saul Alinsky, Tom Gaudette, and Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago in the 60’s, to community organizing in Riverdale and teaching at York University in Toronto in the 70’s and then, in rediscovering his voice after his horrendous car accident in 1979.

Don was ahead of his time. He wrote about house churches – a Christian church movement born after WWII – long before anyone understood their meaning. His series of critical articles published in The Winnipeg Tribune about the church in the early 60’s started a conversation about the ability to minister outside the walls of a church. He developed a style of community organizing that became a template for students, both in school and those learning hands on.

Don valued being a Canadian. He was actively involved in politics, starting from within his community and moving naturally to municipalities, provinces and the country as a whole. Voting was an inheritance he felt we should all honour and participate in. Don believed that within each of us we have the power to make it happen, to bring about positive change, not to just let the status quo run the show. Nicknamed “Supercat” back in his organizing days, he went on to write about his experiences in community organizing in The Power to Make it Happen. After his car accident he worked to regain his sense of who he was, and through reading his journals, was able to rediscover his core values and passions and wrote about these experiences in his second book, Supercat.

Don lived in many places in his life, from Winnipeg to Chicago to Toronto, and he was a regular sight around North Bay during the past 20 years, mailing his daily letters to friends and family far and wide, popping into the health food store to pick up his syrup and fresh peanut butter, visiting his bank to write up a money order for some social justice charity in need, singing with Gateway Harmony Barbershoppers and Interlink, sharing weekly church services, bringing along a freshly baked pie or date square to any celebration he attended, lighting candles for peace outside his local MP’s office, stopping into the local book store to buy a few new books, taking film in to get many copies made to share with everyone, and giving out his Supercat book by way of introduction to those he did not know.

Don was a character – someone you would not forget once met. Camping and his love for the land, his VW campers, CBC radio, playing cards, folk and country music, yodelling, playing his guitar and harmonica, his ongoing carpentry projects, late night phone-calls to discuss world news, wearing his McLean tartan – Don had a zest for life that age would not slow down. You always felt at home when you entered his well-lived in home – his warmth and personality greeted you along with the smells of his baking. He surrounded himself with books and photos of those he loved. While newspapers, reports and printed documents were often everywhere, they were his way of keeping everyone in touch with news he felt was important.

Those who were mentored by Don over the years span the globe. He was a knowledgeable, informed coach in community organizing, and he released a legion of community organizers across Canada, and several states in the US and in parts of Asia. His style was to be grounded in a passion that grew out of intolerance for situations where people were oppressed by systems and abusive relationships. And still he retained a sense of humour even when confronted by very demoralizing situations. He never gave up, and his steadfast example gave hope to many.

Don died in the late evening of March 3, 2009 at the age of 83, following a fall in his home in early January. He will not be forgotten. Dad, Grandpa, Don, Supercat – father, grandfather, brother, friend and mentor – his spirit lives in all of us as we question a wrong and not just let it go by unspoken, as we share a genuine smile with a new friend, as we sing a song of praise or light a candle for peace. Don Keating’s very being has inspired us to act with conviction.

Honoured by the Knights of  Columbus Council, St. Rita’s

In 1994,  at the request of Pastor Rev. Angelo Oliverio, a discussion with the gentlemen of the Parish centred on the feasibility of forming  a Knights of Columbus Council within our Parish of St. Rita’s.

It was agreed the formation of a Council would have merit and would be of benefit to our Parish, community and the surrounding area of North Bay.

To receive our Charter the by-law stated a membership of 30 as the prerequisite. By late 1995 a recruitment process was initiated and on April 15, 1996 the designation of Council 11760 Knights of Columbus, St. Rita’s  was conveyed.

Brother Isadore Leblond was elected as Charter Grand Knight and with our first election of officers July 1996 Brother Donald Halsall was elected Grand Knight.  The membership throughout the years vacillated between 50 and 60.

With the advent of Nevada tickets, Bingos, Ontario State Lottery tickets and fundraising garage sales and  dinners our Council during a 14 year existence donated in excess of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to various charities including the Food Bank,  Hospital, Gathering Place, various elementary and secondary schools, Santa Fund, Special Olympics etc.

With parish re-alignment our Church of St. Rita closed  its  doors  December 26, 2010.  On this date Council 11760 Knight of Columbus St. Rita surrendered our charter and ceased to be operative.

Within our membership a total of sixteen Brother Knights have deceased.  It is with enjoyment that the leaf at the pergola will be inscrolled in their memory.

Isadore Leblond

Past Charter Grand Knight

Honoured by the Kopas and Hodsdon Families.

Jordan was a wonderful little boy. He was a son, a grandson, a great grandson, a nephew, a cousin, a friend.

Jordan loved cars, especially fast yellow ones. His favourite colour was purple. Jordan loved to ride his tricycle and his 4 wheeler. He was excited to start school. He would have started kindergarten.

Jordan was taken too soon, after being struck by a reversing truck while on vacation in North Bay at the age of 4. We all miss him terribly.

Our Buddy, our little man, our Pumpkin, our Jordan.

We miss you too much!

March 24, 1997- August 5, 2001.
Jordan Ray Wayne Kopas

Honoured by Tricia Mills, Betty Hurley and Mary Jane St. Onges.

Neo King is a special child who brings love and joy to everyone who knows him.  Neo doesn’t talk, walk or feed himself, but he communicates through the heart.  His winning smile can light up a room, his hug can turn a challenging day into a positive one.  Neo loves people and pets and responds to his favourite music.  I have learned from this little person that the will to live can defy all the odds and that even under the most difficult circumstances life can hold true meaning.

Every child deserves to be nurtured, safe, protected and loved.  My hope is that all children who have broken bodies and spirits will find the kind of home that Neo has and a village that loves them as his does.  May we as citizens of North Bay make it our mandate to cherish and protect the life of every child.

In loving memory of Dot (Dorothy) and Jim (James) Knight.

Dedicated by Paul and Angela Knight van Schaayk, James Knight, Treena Palangio and Addison Knight.

Mom and Dad were always on the water. Whether it be on Lake Nipissing, Lake Temagami, Lake Kippawa, Georgian Bay or the Inter-Coastal Waterway from Baltimore, Maryland to Big Pine Key, Florida.

They always showed us how to navigate through any waters or anything that life could throw at you.

Always keep your head up and keep navigating forward

For them, growing older was required but growing up was optional!!

Until we all navigate the waters together…

In loving memory of Dot (Dorothy) and Jim (James) Knight.

Dedicated by Paul and Angela Knight van Schaayk, James Knight, Treena Palangio and Addison Knight

Mom and Dad were always on the water. Whether it be on Lake Nipissing, Lake Temagami, Lake Kippawa, Georgian Bay or the Inter-Coastal Waterway from Baltimore, Maryland to Big Pine Key, Florida.

They always showed us how to navigate through any waters or anything that life could throw at you.

Always keep your head up and keep navigating forward.

For them, growing older was required but growing up was optional!!

Until we all navigate the waters together…

Honoured by Sean Kendall.

Thank you to Sean Kendall for honouring  Gabriela and Nicolas Kendall and for being a part of the park.

Honoured by Kenneth J. and Mary Lou Kendall.

Thank you to Kenneth J Kendall and Mary Lou for honouring Buddy and Abby and for supporting your Community Waterfront Park project.